Into the Darkness
by Aislin of the Shadows
Summary: COMPLETE! What happens when a phan magically journeys into the world of Leroux's novel, and meets the infamous Phantom? Things in the story are bound to change... Not EOW
1. The Remote

Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera...Oh, Lord, I wish I did.

Okay, this is my first Phantom fic, so I'm going to get serious. I just finished reading Gaston Leroux's Phantom for the third time today, and I've got my Phantom CD playing, so I'm in the mood.

This is also the first installment of a series, _Adventures of the Magic Remote_! Bad title yes, but my muse is on vacation. Some of these stories will be serious and some will be funny. Most will involve romance in some form. Read on to find out more!

I'm sorry if this is a bad Phantom fic, please don't flame me! It's my first venture out of the anime category.

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Raven lay in her room on a dark rainy night. She wiped hot tears from her cheeks as she closed her novel after reading the three final words: Erik is dead.

She was always worked up after rereading Phantom. She hated the world for treating poor Erik so cruelly, only because he looked different. It was hard to think that had he been born with a normal face, he could have been one of the most powerful men in the world.

She looked into her full-length mirror, and imagined the Phantom's face in it. She felt like she could love him, despite his appearance. She wanted to love him...to let him know that there were people who understood him.

She took a small, red ring box from her vanity, and opened it. Inside was a gold ring, and a small slip of paper with three encouraging words on it. She slipped the ring on her finger. Normally she only wore it for luck when singing, but it made her think of Erik, and she wanted to be connected to him now, in any way possible. She glanced at the paper, rubbed her Angel of Music ring, as she called it, and smiled.

Ravensaid a prayer for Erik's soul, and went to bed.

She dreamed of Erik that night, looking as handsome as any man. When she awoke, she felt as if she had been visited by the Angel of Music, and shivered happily. She couldn't wait to try out her voice to see if it had improved at all. (A/N: That all really happened today, and I was able to hit some high notes I never had before. I really did sing better than ever.)

Before she could put her Phantom CD in the stereo,Raven spotted a small remote next to her bed. She had never seen it before. It only had two buttons, a large blue one that was labeled "Enter" and a green one labeled "Exit." She wondered what it was for.

Flipping the little machine over, she read the fine print: "You have been selected to keep in your possession a magical remote which will allow you to pass into any world you wish – that of any movie, book, cartoon, etc. Use with caution."

Raven wondered if it was a hoax. But there was no one in the house who would do such a thing, and no one had come in since last night. She figured it couldn't hurt to try. What should she try to enter?

As if she really had to ask. She pointed the remote at her copy of _The Phantom of the Opera_ and, taking a deep breath, she pushed the blue button.

There was a great rushing around her, as if the ocean had suddenly swept her away. Something pulled and sucked at her clothes, and her throat itched. A blinding white light surrounded her, and she tried to cry out, but was silenced by the whirling. All of a sudden, the whirlwind dropped her with a thump.

"Ow..." She picked herself up, brushing off her...dress? Hadn't she left in her nightgown? Anyway, now she was in a heavy black dress that swept the floor. "Where am I?" she wondered aloud. Her words came out in French. With a gasp, Raven realized that the remote must have altered her clothing to match the time period, and her voice to match the country. Then she really was...

She looked above her. She was standing before a huge, beautiful building, at least ten stories high, andRaven knew her Phantom enough to know that there were five more floors below ground. Her face split into a grin as she gazed at the Paris Opera House.

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Okay, that was my first chapter. Sorry it was mostly me, but I had to explain the remote concept. Don't worry, we get more into the Phantom storyline in the next chapter. Read and review!


	2. Lost in the Maze

I don't have much to say in the way of an intro here, because I just put up the first chapter a minute ago. So, let's get right into it.

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Ravenwalked into the Opera in a bit of a daze. She wasn't exactly sure what to do now that she was here. She knew that she desperately wanted to meet Erik, but he was deep within the impenetrable cellars of the Opera...and she knew he...ah...wasn't inclined to have visitors. _She_ knew she loved Erik, but it was another thing to presume he would love her right away.

Raven bumped into someone in front of her. "Excuse me," she muttered. He turned and bowed to her. "Oh, no, excuse me, mademoiselle." He smiled.

"Pray, monsieur, what is your name?" asked Raven. She wanted to get as good an idea of when in the novel the remote had dropped her. For all she knew, the story was over, and Erik was already...gone.

The man raised an eyebrow. "I'm M. Poligny," he replied. "You must be new here – we are retiring tonight. MM. Richard and Moncharmin will be taking over tonight."

Of course! It was the very beginning of the novel – the night when the two managers resigned and left the skeptical new ones in their place. The night Christine Daae had her immense triumph in Carlotta's place. The night Joseph Buquet was murdered.

New here...Poligny's words rang in Raven's mind. They gave her an idea. If she could get a job at the Opera, even a small one, she could be close to Erik at all times, and keep a close eye on the proceedings of the story. Since her voice had improved so much, she was sure to get even the tiniest role. She resolved to go to the new managers the next day.

.:The next day:.

Moncharmin looked at the girl sitting in his office. She looked rather plain. She had long, straight brown hair and skin that didn't know whether it wanted to be pale or not. But the most striking thing about her was her eyes – they were bright brown flecked with gold, and shined with an innate determination and darkness.

"I don't really understand what it is you want, mademoiselle," Moncharmin said.

"Oh, it's quite simple," repliedRaven cheerily. "It's long been my dream to sing at the Paris Opera. I wouldn't mind starting out as a chorus girl, others before me have worked their way up to sing leads, haven't they?" _If they have help from the Angel of Music,_ thought Raven.

"I suppose you mean our little Christine Daae?" muttered Moncharmin. "Yes, she was quite brilliant last night, wasn't she?"

"Heavenly," agreed Raven.

"Well, no way in unless I can see what you can do," said Moncharmin. "Have you prepared a song?"

"Erm –" Truthfully, Raven hadn't thought about what to sing. She hadn't even thought about what to do if they rejected her. She just had to trust in her own ability to sing. She knew she was good, there was no denying it. The Angel had visited her too, after all...

What to sing...what to sing... She decided on the first thing that came into her mind. Rubbing her gold ring, she took a deep breath...

_Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye..._

She sang like Sarah Brightman, altering the song slightly to omit the small part of Raoul – meaning no offense, there was just no Raoul there at the moment.

..._Please promise me that sometimes, you will think...of...me!_

Moncharmin looked surprised. Not that he hadn't ever heard such a voice, but this girl was quite young to sing like an opera star. "I think you'll make a lovely addition to our chorus," he said with a smile. He shook her hand, as her face split into a wide grin.

Upon leaving the office, her future set for the period of time she was in this world, she set out searching for her dressing room. Moncharmin had given her directions to hers, but as you all know, the Paris Opera House is a maze, and for all her Phantom studying, Raven was soon lost.

"And turn here, and make a left, and second corridor, and...dead end." She sighed. "How do I get _out_ of here?" A fine job she was doing. How could she ever find the lake four cellars down if she couldn't make it to her own dressing room? Turning around sharply in her anger, she promptly collided with a tall young woman.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she gasped, as Raven rubbed her bruised nose. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah...yes, I think I'm fine." Raven looked up at her. _Pretty_, she thought. "Can you help me? I'm new here, and I...kinda got lost trying to find my dressing room."

"Oh, of course." The woman smiled, and led Raven back the way she had come.

"My name's Raven," she prompted. "I song in the chorus...At least, I'm going to. I just got in today."

"Good for you," replied her guide. "I'm Christine Daae."

Raven gasped. "_Christine?_"

Christine stopped and turned to look at her. "Yes... What's wrong?"

Raven quickly closed her mouth. "Oh – nothing. "I just...heard you sing last night. You were amazing."

Christine couldn't suppress a smile. "Thank you."

Raven smiled too, slyly. "It really was astounding. Who taught you to sing like that?" She knew very well who gave the singer lessons in her dressing room.

She hesitated. "I had some help from...an old friend."

"Right." They now found themselves in a hallway full of doors, spaced throughout the corridor. "Mine's the one on the end, and the only vacant one is right next to it, so that must be yours."

"Thanks. Hey, Christine," added Raven. Another little problem had just dawned on her. "Are we allowed to...sleep...in our dressing rooms...nightly?" Seeing as the remote hadn't equipped her with a French apartment, although her dress did come with a pocketful of francs for sufficient food.

Christine raised an eyebrow. "You have nowhere to go?"

"Oh, no, my home is just so far away, it beats waking up at three every morning to get here." She smiled weakly.

"Well...no one ever said anything against it. I suppose it's okay."

"Good. Anyway, thanks for the help, Christine...I may need more of it later."

"You only need ask." Raven closed her door, and listened to Christine's fading footsteps.

Well...she was in the Opera. Now she just had to find her way to the house on the lake...somehow...

Raven knew enough about Erik to try and get him to trust her. It wouldn't be easy, but she had to try. She wasn't leaving this book until she had a satisfactory little meeting with the Phantom of the Opera.

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Okay, I think it's doing a little better now. Read and review please! (Wow, two chapters in one night... And I typed straight through Inuyasha. You _know_ I'm dedicated to the Phantom now.)


	3. Trapdoors

Hi! Wow, I've never been so dedicated to a fic before. It's because the movie _The Phantom of the Opera_ is coming out Christmas, and when I found out, I really went on a Phantom hype. Not that I'm not always a little on one.

I need to state before we get too far into the story that I'm...not a big fan of Christine. Or Raoul. It's because I _really_ like Erik, and I don't like the way they treat him. I'm not going to do anything bad to them in my story. I just thought I should get that straight. Okay. Here we go...

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Raven lay on the sofa that served her as a bed in her dressing room. It was plainly furnished, but she didn't really need a lot here.

She was thinking hard. She knew that it wouldn't be easy getting hold of the boat to row across the underground lake, and that Erik had taken every deadly precaution to keep people like her out of his house. She considered other methods of finding him. She could hide in Christine's dressing room and listen to him speak, or follow her when she disappeared through the mirror. She could try to talk to him during a performance while he was listening in Box Five, or wait for him at the edge of the lake.

That was it... Better wait for him to come to her than risk venturing into his house. How would she get across the lake anyway?

Great...there's the plan...now how to find the cellars? Raven couldn't come up with anything better than to wander around until she found a trapdoor, or stairs leading down. She knew that the only accessible entrance was that on the bottom cellar, because the one on the third led only to the Torture Chamber, and that was certainly not the way to go.

"I'll start after practice this afternoon," she told herself firmly.

.:Later that night:.

Raven coughed and sang a quick scale. She wanted to be able to catch Erik with her voice, as Christine had. Practice had gone on longer than Raven had ever thought a vocal practice could, and she'd sat through three-hour practices. Her voice was a little scratchy now.

Darkness was already falling outside, but in the cellars of the Opera, it was always night. Taking a lantern with her, she changed into a slightly more functional dress (not that any women's clothing was functional then) and set off for the cellars. She took the first down staircase she came to.

"This would be the ground level, then," she said to herself. After wandering around for twenty minutes, she spotted a wooden square in the middle of the hallway. Glancing around the deserted corridor, she pulled it open, and sat on the edge, ready to venture into the Opera Ghost's kingdom.

"Hand at the level of your eyes," she reminded herself, and jumped in.

Darkness wrapped itself around her, but Raven was no stranger to darkness. After her eyes adjusted a bit, she took a quick look around. "First cellar." She could walk without aid in the dark, but the lantern was needed to find the next trapdoor. Raising one hand as if she held a pistol ready to fire, she directed the light of the lantern at the floor with the other hand. Then she got an idea. Searching around the ground, she found a metal rod – twice the length and thickness of a heavy-duty nail. With it, she engraved an X deep in the wood flooring, so she could find her way back up to the upper floors. Sticking the rod in her pocket, she began the search for the next trapdoor.

In an hour's time, she'd slowly made her way deep into the cellars of the Opera. "Second cellar." An X. "Third cellar." Another X. "Fourth cellar." Another X.

"Fifth cellar."

Here the ground was mainly soil and earthy material. Raven drove the nail itself into the ground to mark the spot where she'd begin her trek back to the surface. She wouldn't need the lantern as much here, she just had to find the lake.

She took a deep breath. She started walking.

The Opera cellars were almost like she'd imagined them. They twisted and turned, a weird world of every scene from every opera that had ever been performed there. Wooden planks crossed her path at odd angles, and the scene backdrops formed walls of a maze that led her to dead end after dead end.

She was thankful that she never ran into the Rat Catcher, and there were no fiery demons to catch her eye and distract her. Raven walked for ages in what seemed like overlapping circles, until at long last, she heard the ever so faint sound of rippling water.

She stood before a wide, deep lake of impenetrable darkness. The water came near her toes and she stepped back. With a quick look around, she saw that the boat was on her side of the water, meaning Erik was out somewhere, and she had no idea when he would return.

Not wanting to be discovered by the phantom standing beside his boat, Raven dashed behind a nearby set piece to wait.

She waited a while. She wondered where he could be. Perhaps there was a performance she hadn't known about, and Erik was busy concealed in Box Five. That didn't matter to her. She was going to stay right where she was until he returned. He had to come back sooner or later.

And he did.

After little more than fifteen minutes, a shadow slunk over to the boat. Excited, Raven stood up, bumping against the set piece.

He jerked his head up at the sound. Raven saw his glittering yellow eyes dart to the place where she was standing. He waited for an agonizing minute, and finally turned back to the boat. It was undoubtedly Erik.

Raven wasn't quite sure what to do. It was _Erik_...we all know what he's capable of...what would you do? She stepped out from behind the set piece, still holding her hand in front of her face. "Hello?"

Erik stared at her. She didn't dare uncover the lantern, and just left it on the ground. She took a step closer. "I...I wanted to talk to you...I've...heard so much about you..."

"What, the Opera Ghost?" he said coldly. "How did you find this place? What are you doing here?"

She was mesmerized by his voice. It was every bit as beautiful as she could have dreamed. "I had to meet you," Raven whispered, gaining a little courage. "I know you are Christine's Angel of Music, and –"

"How can you possibly know that?" he said shrilly.

"I know a lot...Please...Angel, will you teach me the music of heaven?" She came closer to him, and dropped her hand. "I know...you love Christine, and that is why you teach her, but please...I adore you so..."

Erik didn't seem to know how to receive this. It's not as if he was accustomed to such praise, or willfully given love. But this girl's eyes looked so pleading, and seemed to stare into his soul.

"I'm not a music teacher for hire," he spat.

"I know, but..."

"No," said Erik firmly. "No, I won't. And you should go now, or you will put yourself in great danger." He jumped into the boat.

"Fine," said Raven sadly. As he rowed away, she called after him, "I'm going to keep returning until you accept me! I know you better than anyone here! My name is Raven!"

She was still determined to have Erik notice her. She was careful not to use his name, to make him suspicious, in that first meeting, but she was willing to resort to anything to have him speak to her.

Raven threw a rock in the lake in her frustration. "Soon," she reassured herself. "He has to meet me." And she began the walk back up through the trapdoors.

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How disappointing. But one wouldn't expect him to welcome me with open arms right away, not after what he's been through. Read and review, please!


	4. Angel of Music

I'm glad people like the idea of the remote. It would be fantastic to have one, wouldn't it? Heheh...(hides magic remote behind back) I wish I had one... And I wish asterisks still worked on this website. Anyhow...

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Raven was getting really conniving now. She was willing to try anything to get to Erik. This time, she was going to attempt to venture right into his house.

At least, she was going to try. As she was making her way down to the cellars a few days after the first attempt, she was intercepted by Meg Giry.

"You are Mademoiselle Raven, are you not?"

She stepped back a little. "Yes," she answered, more than a little confused. "Why?"

"My mother wishes to see you," Meg said, in her whispery voice. A few words out of her mouth made it plain why she was a dancer, not a singer. (A/N: Actually, Meg's voice on my POTO CD does have a pretty lilting tune to it, but it is a little whispery.) "Could you meet her down in the entryway?"

Raven was even more confused now. She had only been at the Opera for about a week, and she had never once met Madame Giry. Why would a stranger summon her? "Sure, but why...?" Meg was gone before Raven could finish her sentence. "Well, fine," sniffed Raven, and started down the stairs.

She had spent much of her free time wandering the Opera trying to get to know its twists and turns. She now knew the layout of most of the upper floors quite well, although she had not yet ventured onto the roof or the level just below it, for an ever so slight fear of heights. The cellars, however, remained almost as much of a mystery as they had the first night. Still, she knew every entrance to the cellars from the ground level.

Consequently, she made it to the entryway with no problems at all. Madame Giry was standing stiffly beside the doors of the auditorium, tapping her foot impatiently, as if she had been waiting hours. The black taffeta (A/N: It always struck me...I will never forget Madame Giry's outfit.) of her dress rustled with the motion of her leg, and the ratty feather on her bonnet bobbed and nodded comically.

"Ah, Mademoiselle Raven," she said superciliously, drawing herself up. "I do hope I have not interrupted anything?"

"Oh, no, not at all, Madame." _Just a rendezvous with Erik of crucial timing_. "What is it you wished to see me about?"

"This, mademoiselle." She held out a letter in a blank envelope. Pulling the slip of paper deliberately from its dwelling, she handed it to her, a stern look on her face.

_God, what did I do to offend this woman?_ thought Raven incredulously. The answer to this question lay in the contents of the letter. Although she had never before seen it, she would know the clumsy red handwriting anywhere, from its mere description.

_Madame Giry, _it read,

_I pray you will carry this message along to the chorus girl Raven. Please tell her that I have no interest in her offer, and that we must cut all relations to each other. She must stay out of my affairs. You of all people, Madame, know well that the consequences could be catastrophic otherwise for the young lady. Please give her my regards, and my warning._

_O.G._

Raven was surprised at this. To go so far as to communicate through the keeper of his box – Erik must really want to keep her away from him.

"Thank you, Madame Giry," said Raven politely.

"You should not be harassing the ghost," said the dignified Mme. Giry. "What have you been trying to do, prying into the ghost's private affairs?"

"Nothing at all, really," said Raven lightly. "I'll keep this letter, if you don't mind," she said, turning away with hardly a goodbye, leaving Mme. Giry clutching the envelope.

And as Raven climbed the staircase, she couldn't help but feel a mild satisfaction in knowing that Erik had remembered her name.

.:Later that evening:.

Raven was ready for another trek into the Phantom's world. This time, she had a plan all thought out to get her not only across the lake, but also into Erik's house when she was sure he was there.

She had acquired two long pieces of rope, which she had tied together to make an extremely lengthy one. Taking it and her lantern, she set off for one of the entrances to the cellars of the Opera.

"No threat letter is going to stop me," she thought cheerily, with determination. And raising her hand to the level of her eyes once again, she descended into the dark abyss.

Raven had an exceptionally good memory, and easily recalled the location of each X landmark on every level of the cellars. In less than half as much time as it had taken the last time, she found herself at the edge of the lake.

The boat was waiting there as usual, when Erik was not at home. This went perfectly with Raven's plan, as it saved her a great lot of waiting, although she had to work quickly, with no idea of how long Erik had already been gone.

With only a brief flash of her lantern, Raven found the side of the boat. Taking a small nail, she took the end of her long cord and securely fastened it to the very end of the little boat's stern. The location of the nail was low enough so that Erik wouldn't notice it in the dark, but high enough so that the boat wouldn't spring a leak. Trailing the rope a short distance away, Raven hid herself and sat patiently to wait.

He didn't take long. Erik shortly returned, climbing into the boat with no apparent notice of nearby people. He began to steadily and swiftly propel himself forward with the pole.

As soon as the shadows had swallowed him, Raven slunk out of her hiding place, gradually releasing the rope and keeping it slack, so that she was connected with the boat as it sailed forward. The lake was apparently larger than she anticipated, for she hadn't stopped feeding it when it passed the knot where they tied together. Just as Raven began to worry that she'd run out of rope, it stopped. She waited a few minutes to see if it would continue, but all was still.

After a few minutes waiting for good measure, Raven began to slowly pull the rope back in, gently bringing the boat with it. At last, after reeling in yards of wet rope, the empty vessel grounded before Raven. Grinning widely, she unfastened the rope, placed it in the boat, and, getting in herself, began pushing the pole into the lake.

_If you hear the siren, don't you dare listen,_ she told herself. _Sing to yourself and blot out the sound._ But no enchanting melodies floated up from the water's surface to ensnare trespassers. She simply sailed unhindered across the lake...

The black water all around her was beginning to make her uneasy. She tried to gauge how far she'd traveled by comparing it the length of the rope, but it was impossible. Nothing could be seen all around her, except for an ethereal glow emanating from...the lake itself, it seemed. At long last, Raven's trained eyes spotted a door, a shadowy door in a stone wall on the shore of the lake.

Raven pulled the vessel in, and walked up to the door. Lord knows it would be difficult to find, for one who wasn't looking for it. But it didn't look like it would be any great challenge to open – in fact, with his obvious usual lack of visitors, it probably wasn't even locked.

Raven tried the handle. It was locked.

_Okay, so much for that theory,_ she thought. _No matter..._

She pulled a thin metal probe from an inside pocket of her coat and proceeded to pick the lock. She wasn't a trained hand at this skill, so it took a good ten minutes before the lock clicked and the handle gave. "Oops," muttered Raven as the door swung open.

She walked inside Erik's house, her hand at the level of her eyes yet again, trembling from head to toe. Candles were everywhere, and a large, impressive piano stood in a dark corner of the room. Raven couldn't help but wonder how he managed to get that into the lowest cellar of the Paris Opera. As she looked around the room, who should walk out of he door to her left but Erik? (A/N: I mean, duh, he's the only one who lives there.)

As much as Raven loved him, and as much as she didn't _want_ to be afraid of him, she shrank back. Erik looked_ mad_, and that was with the mask _on_.

"What are you doing here?" he positively snarled. "How did you get in here?"

Raven stayed calm, and pointed behind her with her with her free hand. "Door."

"What gives you the right to enter my house? Did not Madame Giry –"

Raven waved the letter she had received from the keeper of Box Five. "Got it right here. See, I told you I wasn't going to leave you alone until either you promised to talk to me and teach me music. Either that, or you kill me with the Punjab lasso."

"I have told you already that I have no intention of maintaining any connections with you whatsoever, mademoiselle! Leave this place at once, or I assure you, you will regret it!" Erik turned to stalk out of the room.

"_Erik!!!_"

At the unexpected sound of his name, he stopped, but still did not turn. "How do you know...my name?"

There were two possible answers to this question. One – Christine told me. Not being on close relations with Christine, that was out of the question. Also, Erik might not like that very much. Two – I come from the future, where there are books, movies, and musicals about you, people spell 'fan' with a 'ph,' and everyone knows your name. As that would make no sense in this day and age, that was out of the question as well. So she settled for something simpler, if not very believable: "I just...sensed it."

"It makes no difference." He sounded nervous, and was breathing deeply. He didn't seem to want to make any move, though, and started to leave. As her last resort, Raven began to sing.

_Angel of Music, guide and guardian...Grant to me your glory! Angel of Music, hide no longer...Secret and strange Angel..._

At long last, he faced her. Raven was crying silently now, and he walked up to her. "All I've ever wanted...was to know you...Please..."

Erik was a good person, and he seemed to be undergoing some indecision. At long last, he replied.

"I suppose...a few short lessons wouldn't hurt." Raven couldn't tell if he sounded grimly resigned or just gently kind. It didn't take a genius, however, to hear the happiness in her voice as she said, "Oh, _thank you!_"

"Don't tell Christine..." he murmured. "Meet me here tomorrow at midnight, after the performance. The boat will be waiting." He spun around, his cloak swirling round him, and disappeared into the door he had come through before.

Ecstatically, Raven sailed back across the lake, splashing much water inside, and positively twirled up through the trapdoors, not a care for the now harmless Punjab lasso.

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:-) That was a lot of fun. Read and review!


	5. Masks

Yay, reviews. I like reviews, people – you can send me as many as you like. :-)

To both PhantomAngel22 and Ri, I haven't yet decided whether this is going to turn out as an E/C or E/someone else. --U As much as I would _love_ to go back in time and have Erik fall in love with me, I know he loves only Christine. Although Christine's loving Raoul (cough)fop(cough) kind of supports any E/OW.

Anyway...Next chappie!

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"Open your mouth, Raven. You have to force more sound than air out. Sing with your _soul_!!!" Erik struck a powerful C major chord on his piano to emphasize the power he expected.

He played the scales, for her, and her voice soared higher than it ever had before. (A/N: Yay, I just hit the last note in the title song!) They had been having lessons like this for almost three weeks now, three days out of the week, late at night in Erik's house by the lake. They were both beginning to enjoy it very much. Erik pushed his new student to the limits of her vocal abilities, and Raven sang like a goddess.

"That's good, Raven," said Erik, as they reached the scale just out of Raven's range. "Let's try the Jewel Song from _Faust_." He started in on the introductory music, and Raven sighed.

"I'm sorry, Erik, but do you think we could work on it next lesson? I'm tired, and I need to wake up for rehearsal tomorrow morning." They were both now on first name terms, and Raven could call him Erik at any time, without him being surprised.

He paused in his music. "Of course. I had quite forgotten that your music doesn't stop here. I shall see you day after tomorrow." He turned back to the piano and started playing something else, something smooth and calming. Raven stood, spellbound by the music, before she finally shook herself awake and headed out the door and across the lake.

.:Two days later:.

She couldn't help herself. She had to know. And she wanted to know now.

At her lesson that night, Erik was sitting waiting at the piano when she walked in the door as usual, already playing a slow song by himself. They never said much to each other at first, just started right in with Raven's singing. He began playing short scales to warm up her voice as soon as he was aware she was in the room. With each scale, Raven took a step closer to the piano bench.

Middle C. Step.

D major. Another step.

E major. Step again.

F. Another.

G. Raven sang the scale, and found herself standing right next to Erik. He still wasn't aware of her. Was she going to do it? Would she regret it? Without any thoughts for what would happen afterwards, she did.

Raven reached out and removed Erik's mask.

The cluster of keys he pounded on the keyboard when he started sounded like a monstrous tuneless roar, echoing through the empty house. He had turned his head away from her in a startled jerky movement. Raven clutched the mask nervously. She knew he was steaming in anger.

Erik let out a scream of rage. He whipped his head around to face Raven.

In spite of herself, she gasped and jerked back. There's really no way to describe poor Erik's face. Believe me, I've tried. Any good phan ought to have some idea. The only thing we need to know is that his mask conceals an utterly hideous face. There was no way she could have been ready for it.

"That's right, you're scared, aren't you?" He was standing up now, and Raven realized for the first time that he was very tall. He leaned over her madly in his tirade. "Why must all women be so damned _curious_?! I endured the same thing with Christine! You've destroyed us! It will never be the same... Is this really what you wanted to see? Look at me!" And he stared Raven lividly in the eye, gripping her by the shoulders.

She was crying now, and Erik scoffed at her tears. But Raven lifted her hands to his face. She stroked his mutilated cheeks with absolute tenderness. Erik didn't seem to be angry anymore. His dark eyes were wide with surprise, and he made to move away. Raven sobbed, and embraced him. He let out an audible gasp as, for the first time in his life, he felt the sensation of a young woman pressed close to his own body.

"Angel...Angel of Music..." murmured Raven in a choked voice. "God, why do you have to live this way?" Her tears grew hot with anger. "You don't deserve it, you're the _last_ person who would deserve it..._damn_ the fate laid upon us all!"

"How...how can you still call me an angel? This...this is the face of a devil...a monster..." Erik was shocked at the affection displayed by this young girl. And she'd seen his face...why...

"_Don't_," she told him forcefully. "Don't _ever_ call yourself a monster. Have you heard yourself sing? Have you heard the magic in any song you care to play? That face is but a mask, all faces are masks. We all conceal our true selves behind cursed facades. It doesn't matter what is on the outside – it's your soul that matters!"

Erik laughed sadly. "Do you know how many times I've told myself that? That it doesn't matter what I look like? It's strange having someone else tell me. But when you've been exhibited in freak shows around the country, when you've gained the title _Living Corpse_, when your own _mother_ shrinks in fear of your repulsive face, you can't help but curse your damned existence. My soul...I have forgotten whether I have a soul..."

"Erik," Raven persisted, "you do have a soul. It is the most beautiful soul ever to grace this undeserving planet." And Erik, at long last, returned her embrace.

"I don't care what you look like. If anything, I love you more."

Erik sank back down to the piano bench, drawing breaths in great shudders. Raven knelt beside him.

"Should I go?"

He didn't respond. She silently stood up. "Yes, I probably ought to leave you. Shall I see you day after tomorrow?"

Erik looked up, and gave her a truly glowing smile. She returned it, and wiping the tears from her face, she exited the house.

"I love you, Erik." Raven closed the door.

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Man, that chapter was hard to write. It'll be even harder to post – I'm a little embarrassed. Okay. (click) Yes, it's posted. Sorry it was so short. Anyway, read and review!


	6. Return to the Shadows

Ooh...reviews and flames...okay, well, fine.

ErikLuv – Thank you. I don't want to offend Christine lovers (or Raoul lovers) either, but how can you choose him over Erik? Sorry, but it's just my opinion.

Ri – It's not repulsion! (is rather offended) Just mild surprise. ;-)

Lila – Yeah, I know the remote thing was stupid, but I plan to use it in other stories. It's kind of a series. This is just the first one. Apparently Mary Sue is a well-known term that I'm not familiar with (because everyone uses it), but the story does end up differently. I'm not dating the Phantom, because if you notice, he hasn't said he loves me. I've just shown him rare compassion, and _I _said I loved _him_. I'm not insulted. Thanks for not flaming.

On the other hand, to the spiteful person who flamed me and wasn't even forthcoming enough to leave their name, I'm deleting that review. I wouldn't normally, but I don't swear, and I really don't want to leave that there. I have only one thing to say for you, my short-tempered friend: If you don't like the concept, you don't have to read it.

I don't write to please others (although it's nice if it does please you). I write to please myself. Having the opportunity to put my work on the Internet just appeals to me. I even asked not to flame my work. How boring could it have been, if you read all five chapters?

Okay, I'm sorry. I felt really offended, that's all.

Bundles-'o-joy – Aw, thank you! Yes, I do feel better now. Phans against flaming unite!

Oh, and I love all your stories! :-) Everybody go read bundles-'o-joy's stuff!

Okay, my self-esteem is back. (hugs it) Now I can continue. I don't think this phic is going to be much longer.

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Raven had tried her very best to keep up with the storyline as she was living it, but for the life of her, she had completely lost track of where in the novel she was. It was much different to actually be going through it within a span of months instead of reading it in a matter of days. She dearly hoped that the same amount of time hadn't passed back home.

Something had happened after the incident with Erik's mask. He hadn't been at home for a lesson since. She'd gone down to his house on three days, and found it empty. The first night, she had waited, but now it was starting to get ridiculous. Something was going on, and she hoped it wasn't her fault.

By now, she had ceased trying to find him in his house, and merely went about her business at the Opera hoping to find a trace of him. It was only several days later that she saw something that completely clarified what had happened.

It was Christine.

Try as she might, Raven had not gotten Erik to stop thinking about Christine – she knew it. And what Christine was doing now was bound to have drawn the attentions of the lovesick phantom.

One evening, while browsing the hallways of the first floor, gazing a bit longingly at every trapdoor she passed, she heard laughter – high-pitched, false, frightened laughter. Raven didn't really want to interrupt whatever was going on, so she quickly stepped through the nearest door. She would have left the high-strung people alone then, had the nearest door not led to a broom closet.

Trapped, Raven stood as still as possible, listening to the footsteps coming closer and closer. She was then surprised to hear Christine's voice say, "Just a little farther – we must go all the way to the top!"

Oh no...

Raven peeked out of a tiny opening in the door. She got a glimpse of Christine, positively bouncing by, looking both ecstatic and apprehensive at the same time. She was followed by a handsome, confused-looking young man who could only be Raoul de Chagny.

Raven had to admit, she could see why, at a glance, one would want to choose the young vicomte instead of poor Erik. Raoul surpassed Erik in all physical features, excluding perhaps height. But from what Raven could see from her vague view, his eyes had none of the depth of Erik's, his voice hardly half the emotion. He looked distinctly jumpy and distrustful, though perhaps that was just because Christine was acting so odd.

Raven sank to the floor of her closet, trying not to listen as the young couple spoke outside. She didn't approve of eavesdropping. Besides, she had a good idea of what was happening.

Nothing went on in the Opera that its resident ghost didn't know about. Erik must have disappeared because he knew that his Christine was being untrue to him. He was surely spending every waking moment watching Christine, and cursing Raoul. And tonight...Christine would take him up to the roof, where she would tell Raoul about her lessons from the Angel of Music...about Erik, and the house by the lake...and about how he terrified her, and she hated to be with him.

And Erik would hear.

Raven toyed with the idea of sneaking up to the roof to listen as well, but decided against it. She knew the story all too well, and it made her angry enough just reading it, without having to sit and listen to it in real life.

She climbed out of the closet, and, considerably depressed, made her way to her dressing room.

.:The next night:.

Something had escaped Raven's mind.

That night, _Faust_ was going to be performed at the Opera. It was a full house, and Christine was to sing the lead. Preoccupied with thoughts of the conversation that had taken place on the roof last night, she had messed up many times during rehearsal with the other chorus girls.

Walking onto the great bright stage late in the evening, it struck her. _What had Christine said to Raoul?_

It is the night of _Faust_. Christine has the lead. And she plans to run away with Raoul after the show.

Erik would kidnap her, and have her spirited away for himself.

Raven knew that this was her last chance to see him, before he disappeared forever. After this she had no idea of where he would be. It was too late to do anything now, however. The opera had just started. All she could do was glance nervously at Box Five and pray that she could get away quickly when she had the chance.

The first part of the performance went exceptionally well. Christine sang like an angel, and Raven did her very best to match her, especially after the slip-ups in practice. The orchestra played no sour notes, and every singer was in tune. It was too bad they'd never be able to finish the show.

Sure enough, late in the performance, Christine stood, pale and alone, in the middle of the stage. Raising her hands to the heavens above, she sang out –

"_Holy Angel in Heaven blessed...My spirit longs with thee to rest!"_

Pitch-black darkness was an odd thing, especially when nearly no one is expecting it.

Every light in the auditorium of the Paris Opera House went out at once, from the weakest oil lamp to the great (new) chandelier swaying gently but safely above. You'd think that when a huge crowd loses its ability to see, the natural instinct would be to stay where you are. Apparently not. The audience members began to scream and rush in every direction almost at once. Raven was instantly jostled by frightened girls crying, "The ghost – it's the opera ghost!" in high pitched voices.

It only lasted a minute or so. The lights returned, briefly dazzling everyone, revealing people in the most random places, including on top of seats, balcony railings, and other people. Christine, however, was gone.

Raven knew that this was probably the only chance she'd get. Pushing her way out of the bewildered singers, she jumped off the platform she stood on and dashed backstage, dodging confused shouting stagehands and one very agitated Raoul.

Quickly she searched for the most direct route to the cellars. She didn't know why, but she knew she was going to see Erik – now.

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Oh, incidentally, I changed the title and the summary slightly, to make the story sound more interesting. :-) Hope that didn't confuse anybody. Read and review! Only one chapter left...


	7. Only Silence

I know I haven't updated this lately, but I've been caught up in other fics. I never planned on abandoning this one. Anyway, I decided to take out the name change in the beginning and just leave it at Raven the whole time. And I'm happy to say that I have received no more flames. I won't bother with answering reviews, I'll just go straight into the story.

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Raven darted through the crowds backstage. Policemen were coming in through the side doors, only to be crowded out by stampeding ballerinas running frantically for the exits. She found a door leading out of the backstage area into a deserted hallway.

She'd never been in this part of the Opera before. Judging from the direction of the auditorium, she turned left and headed down the passage.

This way took her to a room she'd only been to once before – the landing outside the managers' office. Policemen and Opera officials milled around exchanging information. Raven spied a door on the other side on the landing. She made for it, and crashed into a tall man. He turned around to face her.

Raven stared at him. With his dark skin and foreign looking hat, this man could only be the Persian. He gave her a small, knowing smile.

"I recommend you stay out of the cellars tonight. He does not need any more problematic women on his hands tonight." He glanced around. "Would you perhaps know where the Vicomte de Chagny may be?"

Raven stiffened, and tried to return his smile. "Last I saw him, monsieur, he was in the auditorium, looking rather lost. If you please…?" And she edged her way around him.

She was in familiar territory now. Finding her usual trapdoor, she made her way down through the cellars. She wondered if she should have warned the Persian about the third cellar entrance leading to the torture chamber. She shook her head, scolding herself. She was already twisting the story more than necessary – no need to eliminate full chapters in the name of character safety. As if they wouldn't be all right in the end.

Momentarily lost in the second cellar, she looked around, trying to get her bearings. It was rather some time before she managed to find another door to go through. She wondered how Raoul and the Persian were getting along.

At long last, she reached the lake in the fifth cellar. What was she to do now? She hadn't formulated her plan past this point. How on earth was she to enter the house? The boat sat in the shadows on the far side of the lake, but did she dare take it and enter? When Erik doesn't want someone coming in, you can usually rely on no one being there, whether by choice or not.

Raven suddenly heard footsteps behind her. No time to hide. She whipped around to face whomever it might be.

She was expecting the ratcatcher, or perhaps a lost door-closer. Certainly not a disheveled gentleman with mussed hair, dirty pants, and a torn opera cloak. In his rush he nearly collided with her, but stopped just in time. Which was good for Raven, as his force would have sent her falling backward into the freezing lake.

He seemed not to notice Raven. He stared at the rippling water, fiddling with his hat that he held in his hands. "Raoul was right…it's all true…then this ghost…" It seemed he was at the same decision as Raven, but he quickly made his choice. "Must go in…" he murmured to himself. And only then did it dawn on Raven. This was Philippe de Chagny, looking for his brother, knowing that he'd have come down to the cellars, where the ghost supposedly dwelled. Here was the lake Raoul had spoken of, and what more to do now than go across in search of this ghost?

"Erm…Monsieur le Comte?" Philippe didn't answer. "I don't recommend you…" But he had already seized the little boat and was working out the mechanics of the pole. Frantic at being left behind with no hope of reaching Erik, she cried out, "At least take me across with you!"

Only at the magnified sound of her voice did the Comte turn around. "Oh…who are you?" The poor man was immeasurably distraught. She laid a comforting hand on his.

"My name is Raven. And I'm looking for someone very important in that house as well."

"My brother Raoul is in there!" he said wildly.

"Yes," agreed Raven. "So let's go across and get him now."

Philippe nodded confusedly, clambering into the boat. Raven joined him, and he pushed forcefully off the edge of the lake. She held on tight, trying not to think about what was going to happen next. _I can't change what happened in the book…whether I'm here or not, it's going to happen…_

They were far from the water's edge now. Raven could tell from previous excursions that they would soon reach the other side.

A strange, high-pitched singing reached their ears. Philippe ceased poling, and they bobbed in the water for a moment. "Do you hear that?" he murmured, not to anyone in particular. The melody deepened, rising high then dropping down again, forming no words. Raven closed her eyes, trying to block it out, and Philippe leaned over, the better to hear it.

"The siren," whispered Raven.

The little boat suddenly capsized. They were plunged into the cold water of the lake, floundering. It was deeper than it looked. Raven grabbed for the boat, as Philippe's head disappeared below the waves. She knew that there was no way to stop it…but she desperately groped around underwater for his hand, wanting to pull him up, but water was all her fingers met. She clenched her teeth as she clung to the boat for dear life. She couldn't have done anything…There was no way to change it…

The water stopped frothing.

Something gripped her ankle. It tried to pull her under, and Raven hung ever more tightly on the boat. "Erik!" she called, knowing that it was him, playing the part of the siren, below the waves. He didn't hear her through the water, and he kept pulling at her legs. She began to lose her grip.

Raven kicked out, and a great splash was made beside her head, as Erik surfaced. "Erik!" she cried again.

The look on his unmasked face was positively livid. He grew even more enraged when he saw her, and she shrank in fear of his anger, eyes flashing in the darkness.

"What in hell are you doing here?" he hissed. Treading water, he dragged her up to the edge of the lake, which was nearer than she expected. It had been impossible to see in the dark. "I don't need you right now. We're extremely busy. Don't you know the importance of what may come to pass within?"

"Erik, rethink this, you can't – " But he was already gone. Raven pounded on his door, but it was no use. It was far too thick for any knock to get through.

She searched her pockets, but she hadn't changed out of her chorus dress – now torn and clinging to her skin with water – and it had nothing in its pockets with which to attempt to pick the lock. And she didn't dare enter uninvited. Even she wouldn't escape the wrath of an incensed Erik.

Hours she waited outside the door, knowing full well what happened inside. She watched the waters mournfully, as they lapped innocently at her toes. She'd never given much thought to Philippe de Chagny before, but now…having seen his death herself…been right there…and not done anything. Her heart ached. She thought of Raoul and the Persian…trapped in the torture chamber, learning firsthand why it had that name. Christine, probably frightened out of her mind by something she just didn't understand. And Erik, in all his mad agony, as he posed Christine her choice…

The door opened.

Raven scrambled to her feet. A tearstained Christine was supporting a dazed Raoul out the door. She sniffed, looking around for the boat. Only then did she notice Raven. She stared. "What…please…where is the boat?"

Raven pointed silently to the overturned vessel in the shallows. She helped Christine to turn it over. She laid Raoul tenderly into the boat, and poled quietly away, not looking back to Raven on the edge of the lake beside Erik's little house once.

Christine disappeared into the shadows.

Nervously, ever so slowly, Raven inched the door open to admit herself.

Erik lay slumped across the piano, its keys covered. His mask lay forgotten on the floor beside the bench. Raven crept up to him, and laid her hand on his shoulder. He didn't move.

"Erik," whispered Raven. He didn't stir. And Raven couldn't find words for what she wanted to say. "I…should have known…that I couldn't make you forget her. I never should have tried. I'm sorry."

She hovered over him for a few moments, not sure of what to do. And then, she just slunk out, thinking she'd find the exit into the Rue Scribe, and leave Erik to himself. She made for the door.

"I really did love her…" Erik shifted his body, resting his face in his hands. "I thought…perhaps…I could make her love me…"

Raven didn't answer. "If it helps at all, Erik," she murmured, "you'll always have my love." And she swung the door shut behind her.

ooo

The remote took her safely back to her own home, once more in her own time. Everything was exactly as she had left it, as if she'd never been anywhere. But the tears streaming down her face told otherwise. Raven stared at the remote in her hand, then strode across her room. She stored it hastily in a small wooden chest on her desk, in which she kept various charms, amulets, and crystals. She wasn't ready to use it again. The memory of Erik remained burned into her eyes, and she wiped away a few stray tears. She shut the chest. No, not ready to use it, to witness another tragedy perhaps, to see another heartbreak.

Not yet.

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And that's the end! Hope those of you who actually liked this story like the ending. I have other stories planned, so the next story I do with the remote (because there will be another, hopefully better planned out than this) will be a while in coming. Thanks to all those who supported me in my time of flames!

Aislin


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